“Lovers,” Ten said.
Green eyes nodded. “Brought me downtown and screamed and shouted that I was going to prison for the rest of my life and explained in detail what happened to gay men in jail.”
“Assholes,” Everly agreed, breaking the tension in the room and making the clowns chuckle.
Sam shook his head. “They didn’t have enough evidence to arrest anyone, but that didn’t stop them from coming down hard on us.”
“So the crime was never solved?” Ronan asked.
All the clowns shook their heads.
Ten exchanged a look with Ronan. “I’d like to lend a hand if I can.”
“Why, so you can accuse all of us of killing him too?” Blue-mouth accused, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Again,” Sam said, bitterly.
“You wereallaccused?” Jude asked. “Not just Green Stars?”
“Every single one of us with the circus was accused of killing Jack,” a clown, with a tag identifying him as Goofball, said. “Not just the clowns, but the ring master, the trapeze artists, the animal keepers. Cops shook us down hard and wouldn’t let us leave town for two weeks. You have any idea how much money we lost, pal?”
“I can imagine, Greg,” Ten said softly.
“How the fuck do you know my name?” Goofball Greg demanded.
“I told you, I’m a psychic. The real deal. Not like Madam Fortuna.” Ten grinned.
A few of the older clowns chuckled. “She was the worst psychic in the world. Copied Bela Lugosi’sDraculaaccent and pretended she was from Transylvania. She always told married women their husbands were cheating on them.”
“Can’t tell you how many times we had to break up fights. Women hitting their husbands with their handbags and sometimes their fists. It was all bullshit.” Greg paused. “Sorry, kids.”
“It’s okay, Goofball. My Dad says that word all the time!” Everly laughed.
“Yeah, well, cops think we’re all on the grift. Back then, we were just working to support our families. I had a wife and three kids back in Kalamazoo. The money I made during the summer was what paid for back to school supplies, Christmas presents and clothes. I didn’t make enough money as a math teacher to support my family.”
“I hate math!” Aurora wailed. Brooke and Everly joined in.
“Why don’t we head out to the arena floor and check out all the surprises I promised you.” Jace motioned the kids toward him. He dropped a wink at Fitz before leading the kids away.
Ten waited for the room to empty out. Ronan, Jude, and Fitz had stayed behind, as he knew they would. Three clowns remained. Goofball, Green Stars, and a third clown dressed in a white satin outfit similar to the one Jumping Jack had been wearing, minus the blood stains. “You’re Jack’s son.”
The younger man nodded. “I am. My name is Alex. I used to sit by Dad in the dressing room while he put on his makeup. I was ten when he died. My mother came to pick me up after the murder. She’d been visiting her family in Maine, while the circus was in Massachusetts. After the show was allowed to get back on the road, no one ever contacted us about Dad’s murder. The police didn’t even return my mother’s calls and you think that after thirty-something years you’re going to solve his murder?”
“I work as a psychic, but I also consult with the Salem Police Department’s Cold Case Unit.” Ten pointed to Ronan, Fitz, and Jude. “These guys are the best in the business when it comes to solving the unsolvable.” Ten watched as Alex sunk his head into his hands. He knew the young man had wanted nothing more than to have his father’s murder solved, once and for all.
“When did your father die?” Ronan asked.
“In 1995. I was ten years old. I don’t have any memories of him at all.” Alex’s eyes were downcast, Ten could feel his pain.
“1995?” Ronan asked, looking alarmed.
“Yeah,” Alex agreed.
Ten knew Ronan had come to the circus back then. That was the time he’d met Celestina and had been scared to death by Ying Yang. Was it possible there was a connection to Jumping Jack’s death?”
“We’ll tell you what we know, on one condition,” Goofball said.
“Name it,” Fitzgibbon said eagerly, stepping forward.
